Apparently the phrf is a negative number ... but we figure if they went around the course three times to our one ... it might work out.

Our "local" 49er sailing team of Erik and Trevor 49er Sailing Team Site sailed with us at the 35th Gulf Coast Sailing Club Regatta. Perhaps "sailing with us" was a bit overstated. They are currently rated top 49er team in the US to compete in the Olympics in 2012. Really dedicated sailing athletes.

They are fast boat. My daughter went to the canada games in her 29er (smaller cousin). She took me for crew her in St. Margarets Bay NS on a breezy day and I spent more time hauling me ass back into the boat then on it, I think I slowed her down some. That trapezing is tricky stuff to learn! Might put one on Groovin.

So OK ... I guess you really spoiled it for me ... I'm scheduled to get a test run when they return to Naples in Oct. But I'm in no shape to pop on and off anything ... maybe if they tie me on... right near the mast and don't turtle it. Duh... Shake a leg for senior sailors ... Water temp should be in the mid 80s around then.

here are two more photos taken during the regatta by Jack Sullivan of Hamilton Harbor YC. The 9 Melges 24s were a little put off when it blew past them on their course.

Erik the driver said his job is ok for a girl, but he never saw a gal able to crew well. Makes sense they downsized it in the 29er.

If i had some spare cash laying around I'd love to pick up a 29er for having some fun.

They sure are fun boats but can be way expensive to campaign at the top level. The Storck team is probably laying down 40-50K/year just to be competitive. My good buddy campaigns his 29er and to just have everything set and barely able to do one regatta (CORK) a year his budget is pushing into the 5 figure range. That's for a 2 person dinghy. Unreal... The 49ers are also very very physical boats to sail and I'll be very impressed if you can manage to pull off sailing that one without killing yourself Vic

All that said... I can't wait until it warms up enough for me to get out on the 29er with my buddy Dan. He has it here at school and we stepped the mast on Sunday. They really are seriously radical and fun looking boats and if I didn't enjoy racing keelboats as much as I do then I would be trying to lose about 30 pounds to get onto one of them.

their budget for 2010 was $114K. 49er budget 2010
If they get to the Olympics I'm thinking they will have spent the better part of a half mil. and not had a job for 4 years.

The remarkable thing about these guys is they are lean muscle. I don't think just loosing 30lbs is going to do it. maybe if you started running 10 miles a day?

In October they are slated to do test rides to raise $ as they don't get all that much help from the Olympic committee.

I think I can do it on a dead wind day. ~5 kts max. Don't know about the spin though.

[[[ But I am known to do dumb things. last year we helped capsize a F31. ]]]